City of Witches Chapter 153

The sweet return to the Mortal Realm was short-lived.

I confirmed how humans are creatures of adaptation and how quickly they succumb to boredom in an unchanging routine.

A tedious life where the only thing that changed was the menu.

Amidst this, meeting Sharon had put Siwoo in a good mood lately.

Though "lately" only meant the past few days, it felt like he had found purpose and direction in this monotonous life.

Goodbye to the bland, monotonous richness—like dry chicken breast—without a single friend to confide in.

"Should I head out soon?"

While idly reading a book borrowed from the library, it was already time for Sharon's part-time shift to end.

For the past week, without missing a single day since encountering the three Homunculi, they had been putting up flyers together, searching for Homunculi.

"Haven't seen a single one since that day."

Well, if there were that many Homunculi, Sharon would have paid off more of her debt by now.

Even though it meant fewer innocent people dying at the hands of Homunculi, after a week of determined searching with no event, he felt a bit let down.

Siwoo grabbed his jacket and stepped outside.

"Someone as kind as Sharon deserves a lot of good fortune."

His desire to help was immense, but to avoid being as rude as last time, he compromised with the excuse of exploring good restaurants.

Besides, he really loved eating.

The meeting spot was always in front of Siwoo's house, right at midnight when Sharon finished her shift.

Somehow, the air felt humid, and a light drizzle was falling.

"What are you doing here?"

Siwoo was startled.

As soon as he stepped out of the elevator, he saw Sharon sitting hunched on the stairs.

"What do you mean? I was waiting for you."

Sharon, who had been resting her chin between her knees as if tired, stood up and brushed off her pants when Siwoo spoke.

Spirit Bodies are incredibly sturdy compared to ordinary bodies and rarely accumulate fatigue easily.

Yet Sharon always looked exhausted.

Especially lately.

"It's raining pretty hard. Putting up flyers is out of the question, right?"

"Yeah... Sigh..."

Of course, flyering was impossible in this rain.

Sharon sighed as if deeply disappointed and shuffled over to Siwoo.

"What's wrong? Have you been crying?"

"Ah, no!"

Siwoo was startled when he saw Sharon's face in the light after being in the dark.

Her eyes were red and swollen.

Moreover, though she tried to appear fine, she looked incredibly strained and sad.

Even her vibrant emerald hair, which usually radiated the freshness of wildflowers, now looked like withered weeds.

"What happened?"

"It's nothing. The weather's like this anyway... I'll just go home and rest today."

Sharon waved her hands weakly and smiled.

Even someone as insensitive as Siwoo could tell it was a pitiful smile, trying to hide her troubles.

"Are you sure nothing's wrong?"

He hadn't known her for long.

But it was the first time he'd seen Sharon look so vulnerable, so Siwoo asked in a serious tone.

Sharon was a friend who had helped him a lot.

If she was in some unspeakable trouble, he wanted to help however he could.

"........"

Sharon's pupils wavered.

She pressed her lips together and looked at Siwoo's face.

Her mysteriously colored eyes gradually welled up with moisture.

"Huh? Uh... uh..."

Tears welled up and streamed down her cheeks.

Flustered, Sharon clumsily wiped them away.

"Ah, what's this... This is weird... There's nothing sad."

But no matter how much she wiped, the tears kept flowing as if a dam had burst.

Sharon began to choke as if something were stuck in her throat.

"Ugh... ah... wait, what's... happening..."

It had been a week since she was kicked out of her home.

After finishing flyering with Siwoo, she'd spend the night wandering parks or eating late-night snacks.

All while searching for Homunculi.

She tried to think of it as rent being saved, or that something good would happen after something bad, giving herself positive self-hypnosis.

At the time, she felt fine.

Though her head felt a bit heavy and foggy, as if covered in oil paper, it didn't significantly disrupt her daily life.

But hearing a voice that sounded genuinely concerned made her throat tighten as if she'd swallowed something hot.

"Sob... h-hic... sob..."

It had been ten years.

Since she'd heard words of worry instead of sarcasm or ridicule.

Without a moment to react, Sharon rushed into Siwoo's arms.

Through the damp summer air, a sweet body scent wafted, and a soft body, distinctly different from a man's, pressed against him.

She clung tightly to his chest, embracing him.

Though her appearance was youthful, Sharon, who usually felt like an older sister, seemed so small now.

"Waaah... uwaaah..."

Siwoo awkwardly watched Sharon cry like a child, unsure what to do.

But seeing her shake uncontrollably and burrow into him, Siwoo felt a lump in his own throat.

Carefully, he wrapped his arms around her shoulders and patted her back.

What on earth happened?

"Hic...! Sorry... suddenly... hic! You were surprised, right? Hic!"

Sharon and Siwoo sat side by side on the stairs.

In Sharon's hand was a banana milk Siwoo had bought from the convenience store where she worked.

Clutching the banana milk tightly, her nose red, Sharon couldn't stop hiccuping.

"Drink slowly and tell me."

"Okay... thank you, hic!"

Sipping the banana milk with trembling pink lips, still shaky from crying so pitifully, Sharon finally seemed to calm down a bit.

"So, can you tell me what happened?"

Sharon hesitated for a moment.

"...Okay, I'll tell you."

But with her tearful expression still lingering, she calmly recounted what had happened over the past week.

Though it took some time because she had to hold back tears when emotions surged, Siwoo could roughly grasp the situation.

She had been kicked out of her home and was now homeless.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

Siwoo noticed a stern reproach in his own voice.

Did he have the right? Still, he felt a bit hurt and angry.

Even though they hadn't known each other long, he considered her a friend.

Shouldn't she have told him about something so serious?"I just... didn't want to be a burden... I wanted to handle this on my own."

"Still..."

Siwoo swallowed the words he was about to say—that she should have told him.

What good would scolding her now do?

Perhaps it was he, who had lived a solitary life, who was abnormally drawn to her with a sense of familiarity.

He didn't want to cross the line again like last time for no reason.

"Still, thank you. I feel much better after having a good cry."

Sharon, wiping her nose, smiled with her usual bright expression.

This won't do.

How could he see her like this and do nothing, saying, 'I know you might be uncomfortable, but I won't interfere~'?

"Then, how about staying at my place temporarily?"

"What? No! No, no. That's not why I told you all this!"

Sharon lifted her head and shook it vigorously.

Her reaction showed she was worried that showing up unannounced, pouring out her troubles, and crying in his arms might seem like some kind of plea.

After all, Sharon had a strong tendency to try to solve everything on her own.

"I know you're not that calculating. But aren't you in a state where you need help right now?"

"...Still..."

"It's a two-room apartment anyway, so there are two bedrooms."

In truth, suggesting that a female friend live with him, a man living alone, was an offer Siwoo would never normally make.

However, it was clear that if he offered to get her a new place or find her a studio, Sharon would vehemently refuse.

So, this was a middle ground.

"In return, you can help me a bit with my studies. You said you'd teach me last time, but we never got the chance because we were both busy. It's a win-win, just like you said before, so it's okay, right?"

"...Are you really sure it's okay?"

Sharon looked up at Siwoo.

She looked like a hungry puppy eyeing a sausage in someone's hand.

Her eyes sparkled so brightly that he almost felt the illusion that the dimly lit stairwell was glowing.

"Of course! Don't feel burdened."

"R-really... Is it really okay? No, actually, it's not..."

"I might get attacked by other Witches or Homunculi, so having you as a bodyguard would be really reassuring."

As expected, Sharon was reluctant to accept, so Siwoo explained the advantages one by one.

By assisting with Magic Research instead of paying rent, she could save money faster.

It also had plenty of merit for Siwoo, as he could prepare for potential attacks, not to mention the convenience of a shorter commute.

He even said that if she still felt uneasy, she could pay rent later.

"And I'll treat you to delicious meals every day. It gets lonely eating alone."

"M... meals?"

It felt like he had finally grabbed Sharon by the scruff of her neck as she wavered between acceptance and refusal.

Upon hearing the word "meals," her mint-colored eyes grew hazy as if she were under a spell.

After much deliberation, Sharon finally nodded hesitantly.

"Then, okay. Should I go get my things right away?"

"Yeah."

"I left them at the convenience store, so wait a bit while I go get my suitcase."

"Alright."

And so, Sharon and Siwoo's cohabitation Contract was successfully sealed.

"Wow..."

"Come in."

Sharon entered Siwoo's apartment carrying her luggage.

The clean layout was typical of a newly built officetel.

Though it was just a two-room apartment, to Sharon—who had gone through the stages of homelessness, basement studio, and rooftop room—it looked like a luxurious villa.

"Well then, excuse me..."

Sharon set her suitcase by the shoe cabinet and timidly stepped into the living room.

Her hunched shoulders gradually relaxed as she looked around the room.

A balcony overlooking the bustling streets, a large TV, and a sofa in the living room.

Even though it wasn't particularly tidy, it looked much cleaner than the rooftop room Sharon had lived in.

Siwoo led Sharon to show her the room that would soon be hers.

"You can stay here. It's a bit smaller than my room, but it should be fine for living. There's no bed here yet, so you can sleep in my bed tonight. We'll order one tomorrow."

"Ah, no! I won't sleep tonight."

"Really? I'm not really in the mood to sleep either."

Sharon trailed behind Siwoo, examining every corner of the apartment, then bit her lip tightly.

Putting everything else aside, she truly felt grateful.

"Siwoo."

"Yeah?"

"Thank you... really, thank you..."

Sharon tightly held Siwoo's hand and stroked it.

Her glistening tears seemed to reflect the depth of her gratitude.

Seeing how pleased she was, Siwoo felt happy too.

"Don't mention it. Get some rest. You said you've been walking around all night for days."

"Yeah... I'll never forget this kindness. I'll definitely repay it! But is it okay if I take a hot shower?"

"Now?"

"Yeah! It's been so long since I've washed with anything but Magic."

"Sure."

With Siwoo's permission, Sharon hurried into the shower, quickly took off her clothes, and turned on the showerhead.

-Swoooosh

"Sniff... Sob..."

As soon as the sound of hot water filled the small bathroom, Sharon crouched in the corner of the shower stall and began to sob.

The kindness of another person, felt for the first time in ten years.

Whether it was emotion or gratitude, the feeling kept stimulating her tear ducts until she couldn't hold back.

It would be embarrassing to keep crying in front of him, so she hid her tears under the sound of the water, secretly letting them flow.

But despite her pitiful state, crying under the warm water, a small smile bloomed on Sharon's face.

Author's Note (Afterword)

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